The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-06-02
THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY
Opening the Campaign.

SpOhAhS ehS SoAlPaAShs
From the London Evening News.
We have received cable news from
America to the effect that already the pre-
liminaries of the next presidential cam
paign are beginning to be discussed
throughout the United States. As mat
ter of news this is noteworthy, and, per
haps, not at all surprising IN such goa
head country, and in view of the nebulous
condition of parties in the great republic,
although the actual nominations for the
successor of President Cleveland will not
be made till more than year hence. The
election will take place in November follow
ing, the whole country voting on the same
day, and the Inauguration will come in the
following March-amost two years from
now. There are many changes likely
to take place in the condition of parties
dtring the next two years, which will frus'
trate the best laid plans of politicians in
America who are laying their wires for
the succession. There are the two great
parties called democratic and republican;
an intelligent English gentleman lately
asked the writer to tell him the difference
between these parties, for he could not see
much to distinguish one from the other.
The answer was that the chief difference
at present is that the democrats are in
office, or rather their candidate is, and the
republicans are out. The democratic
party claim to follow the principles of
Thomas jefferson, the the third presi
dent of the United States, and the
drafter of the declaration of indie
pendenoe. 1t claims to be in favor of
economical management of the
government, and of honest re-
form, which, in the rank and
file of the party does not include so called
civil service reform. Indeed, President
Cleveland has been severely criticized by
many of his democratic supporters for
not making clean sweep on his coming
into office, and turning out all republicans
to make room for faithful democrats, as
that has been the rule of both parties
almost from the foundation of the govern
ment, or at least from the time of that
tough old democrat, Andrew Jackson,
who laid down the doctrine and acted up
to it also, that "to the vIctors belong the
spoils." 1t may be said that the demo-
cratic perty has been in favor of mod
crate tariff, or even of free trade ideas,
ally has supported all legislation in
favor of protective tariff, be-
lieving that this system would enrich the
country by supporting all home manu-
features. There are some prominent
however, like Samuel j. Ran
dali, of Pennsylvania, who are high tariff
men, so we must conclude that free trade
ideas do not necessarily make good
democrat. At one time, not long ago, the
democratic party seemed to draw into its
fold all the Irish lambs escaping from the
prosecuting wolves of English tyranny;
but it is no longer the case, for
the republican party, through It's deter
mined stand in favor of support
ing the union of the states at
all hazards, managed to keep in power for
twenty years. Until Cleveland was elected,
"waving the bloody Shirt" or in other
words making party cry that the
south were disloyal, and not to be
trusted with the administration of the
federal government at Washington in any
event whatever, kept the majority of the
great northern and western states with the
republican party. The Irish found that
the democratic party was not any more
likely to support them for Office, or even
against hated England, than the republi-
can party, and so, in the large cities es-
pecially-like New York, Philadelphia and
Chicago-there are great numbers of Irish
that vote the republican ticket. The
southern vote, since the war, has been
''solid" for the democratic party. In such
states as South Carolina, where the ne
groes are more in number than the
whites, the white population has con-
trolled hitherto the negro vote, and Sc
cured democratic victories almost without
exception. How it has been done we
have not space to relate at present. There
are some indications of a break in this
unanimity of the southern states, but it
will not happen if the present admins
tration can prevent it. Within a few days
Mr.. Alexander Lawton, Gf Georgia, has
been appointed by the president, United
States minister to Austria, very much to
the surprise and disgust of Mr.. Lee, the
charge daffaires, who took the post with
the understanding that he should continue
at the head of the legation. Mr.. Lawton
was a general in the Confederate army,
and was appointed before by the presi-
dent to the court of st. Petersburg; but,
having taken up arms against the United
States, he could not then be confirmed by
the senate, owing to the existing laws.
This disability has now been removed by
a recent act of congress, and he has re-
ceived another appointment 1t is evil
dent from this little episode that Presi.
dent Cleveland finds it necessary to
strengthen his party at the south at all
h azards.
1t cannot be ignored that the labor
party is gaining some ground, especially
for lately in Chicago, at the city elections,
the labor party having coalesced with the
liberals of the red cap, was voted down,
and buried completely out of sight under
an enormous vote of law-abiding citizens,
who despise the methods of the anarchists,
and are determined that any party so ut
terly un-American shall not show
its cory head in the republic. The labor
party will probably run a candidate at the
next presidential election who will draw
away many votes from the old parties;
with what results it is rather premature
to determine.
If President Cleveland, who is undoubt-
eddy the strongest candidate, all things
considered, of the democratic party,
should decline or fail of nomination, it
ia probable that new man will be taken
up who has not hitherto been very promi-
nent. A certain clique of the democratic
party in New York is dissatisfied with
President Cleveland, and is proposing